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Gluten free coconut macaroons..the search is over

Before I get to the recipe I have a request . My blog has been nominated for best food photography on a blog on the kitchen (thank you Carey :)) and I would deeply appreciate it if you could vote for me here. The voting is open for today only and I know that it is not fun to have to sign up to vote but it is a quick sign up and it would mean so much to me if you would do this. Thank you in advance.

When I was a kid, my dad had one day off, Monday. It was the day we looked forward to all week. He would take us shopping, to playgrounds, to visit friends and family but the part we enjoyed the most was spending time with dad. It was the busiest and happiest day of the week. You see my dad is a pharmacist and he works long hours, 6 days a week and Mondays were his only day off.

Of all the places we’d go and things we’d do I loved going with him to down town Amman. It is the oldest part of the city, full of beautiful aged buildings, markets, farmer markets, libraries, bakeries and shops. Walking down the street you’d see shops that have been there for decades, shop keepers who are mostly old men that time has left its mark in the wrinkles on their faces and the wisdom in their eyes. Go a little further and you’d get to the fruit and vegetable market that is the closest to a farmers market as you can get in Amman, stands of fruits and vegetables of every color and kind. Shop keepers trying to get your attention with songs and jingles about how fresh and tasty their fruits are.Some are really funny “like oh these cucumbers are as tender as a baby’s fingers” and some are flirt-y “come check out these tomatoes, they are as red as beautiful young woman’s cheeks”. Markets for accessories, for knitting and craft supplies, others for toys, bags, gold, utensils and even pets. You name it, downtown Amman had it. With the years the area has been renovated and changed a bet but there is still part of that old magic that is still there.Some day I’ll have to take my camera and take you on a tour downtown with me.

Today’s recipe has to do with a little bakery in downtown Amman. Whenever we’d go there, dad would buy me coconut macaroons from there and they were the best coconut macaroons in town. Crisp and golden on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. Light and just the right sweetness. For years, I tried to find a bakery that made macaroons that were as good as that little bakery’s without success. I tried recipe after recipe, only one came close but still, it wasn’t it. Till this recipe came along. I found it is a reply on a forum to someone asking about the perfect macaroon. It had no picture with it, nothing just the recipe and a promise it is the best you’ll ever have.

I decided to give it a go, curious about the technique of making it(read the recipe and you will know what I mean).I know I already gave away the result in the title but have you ever made a recipe and with the first bite you close your eyes and go “Yes! I ‘ve nailed it!”? Well that is what I did 🙂 and if you have been looking for the perfect macaroon like I was, try this recipe. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

Coconut macaroons

Ingredients

4 egg whites

1 cup sugar

2 and 1/2 cups shredded coconuts

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Candied cherries for decoration (optional)

Chocolate (optional)

To prepare your coconut macaroons

Beat the egg whites until they become white and form stiff peaks (using the food processor this requires 5- 7 minutes)

After you get the stiff peaks, start adding the sugar one tablespoon at a time while beating (if you add the sugar all at once you risk deflating the egg whites)

Add the vanilla and lemon zest while you continue beating.

Empty the egg whites into a bowl and fold in the coconuts

Put the coconut egg white batter in a pot and cook over low medium heat while stirring continuously till the mix is heated through and thickens in consistency (this should take around 5-7 minutes)

Take the pot off the heat and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

Heat your oven to 240 C

Spoon the mix on to a greased baking sheet

You can decorate them with candied cherries or leave them plain

Place the coconut macaroons in the oven on the middle rack.

Bake at 240 C for 3-5 minutes (this will help the macaroons set) then lower the heat to 160 C till the edges touching the pan are golden brown

Place them under the broiler till the tops are golden brown too

Take them out of the oven and allow them to cool for 5-6 minutes (they will be too soft to handle when they come out and might crumble if you try to move them)

Take the macaroons off the pan and cool on a wire rack

Once they cool you can decorate them by dipping half of each macaroon in melted chocolate or drizzling lines of melted chocolate on them

Enjoy 🙂

Final Note

If you have trouble with voting follow these steps

click this linkOn the page that opens click “to head below to the food photography….”
Scroll down to below the list
Click sign up (you have to sign up to vote..pretty please)
Go back to the list page (you may have to sign in)
look for chef in disguise on the list and click vote next to it
I would really, deeply appreciate this 🙂

Congratulations on the nomination; you definitely have my vote Sawsan; I registered and voted already!
I love a good macaroon and this one looks wonderful. Your instructions are perfect as usual! Your story reminded me of Marrakech, the Medina sounds very similar to Amman downtown. It sounds like your Dad is a great guy; I remember days like that with my Dad, such fond memories.

drooling at the sight of those macaroons, what a lovely story too cant wait for u to show the market in photo’s & take us on a virtual shopping trip 🙂 love ur blog & LOVE ur pics so def will vote for u 🙂

I really enjoyed your tale of walking through the market as a young girl with your father.. such wonderful memories. I, too, have been searching for the best macaroon recipe, having made a few failures I’m delighted to read this today!! Thank you!!

In my humble opinion, these are the only REAL macaroons! I love the coconut, chewy ones so much and yours looks like ones that should be the spokes “persons” or magazine cover models for the real deal coconutty ones! 🙂

Darn! I’m checking in a day too late, Sawsan, or I for sure would’ve voted for you.
😦 Especially after seeing these! I ADORE macaroons. Adore them, I tell you. I will be making these – and dipping them in a little dark chocolate, of course.

Thank u Dr.Sawsan for the recipe, I have been looking for it too, nice post too encouraged me to go to (wasat elbalad), sorry about the voting I did not know about it tell today but of course I vote for u.yslamo dayatek ya rab

Congratulations on being nominated, Sawsan! You had got my vote… when I went there you were not! I so wanted you to win! I love your photography and your recipes, this is a winner! I hope when you are nominated again I will be on time to vote! It is something that I am working towards in my photos!

I really appreciate you wanting to vote RaeDi, it was an honor being nominated aong some very talented people. I know I am not as good as they are, but I am working hard on my photography, trying to learn new things and improve every day.It is a journey, one picture at a time 🙂
I deeply appreciate your encouragement and sweet comments Raedi

In the hurry to figure out how to vote before the deadline, I didn’t get a chance to comment on the macaroons. I haven’t had this treat in ages but I’m sure I’ll be making them or something with coconut in it in the near future. Right now, I’m finishing off a bunch of sugar cookies for St. Patrick’s day at school. 🙂

You are remarkable!! graciously answering everyone’s comments!
Thank you for telling me you use word press.. now to get started with it.. Busy right now with preparation for our holiday season.. I fill my deep freeze (which is very western thing to have )with mainly appetizers, favorite being spring rolls, empanadas. this was with a lamb, walnut and feta filling, swedish meatballs, then our traditional meatless 12 dishes for Christmas Eve..
Enjoy your blog as it is not only pictures and recipes but you share your traditions which connects us to you and understanding your traditions! thank you

Thank you so much Kennedy for your kind words and for sharing a little about your holiday season rituals. All those amazing meals to prepare and store. Your family and friends are really lucky to enjoy your yummy creations

assalam o alikum, i made these yummy macaroons. turned out well, for a first timer but i felt they were a bit too dry. if you could give an idea how thick the batter should be while we cook it on the stove, secondly it seemed if i had baked them directly, skipping the cooking step, they could have been softer on the inside. what say????

assalam o alaikum, cooking time was less than 5 minutes n i did’nt bake them for more than 10 minutes, reason being, the macaroons turned brown during the initial High heat baking i.e. at 240 C. if only i could get an idea of how thick the batter should be at the time of baking, things would become easy, jazak Allah!